In a solemn courtroom at the Plaquemines Parish Courthouse, Victor Battle pleaded guilty Tuesday, November 18, 2025, to the August 26, 2024, murder of Billy Ray Saunier and was sentenced to 30 years in prison.
A guilty plea to the crime of Manslaughter was accepted by Judge Kevin Conner and brings to a close a case that has traumatized the Saunier family for over a year. Assistant District Attorney Jason Napoli, who prosecuted the case, described the resolution as “a measure of justice for a senseless act of violence.”
Saunier, 40, was found fatally shot on Caroline Drive in Port Sulphur, LA in what authorities described as a targeted attack. Battle, now 22, was arrested shortly after the incident and has remained in custody since.
During the sentencing hearing, the courtroom fell silent as Lacey Rojas, the victim’s sister, delivered a powerful victim impact statement. “Billy was more than a brother—he was a father, a son, a friend,” she said through tears. “No sentence will bring him back, but we hope this brings some peace.”
Battle declined to speak when given the opportunity.
The case drew significant attention in the local community, both for its tragic nature and the legal process that followed because there was no murder weapon found and no eyewitnesses to the crime. Prosecutors said the plea agreement spared the family the trauma of a trial while ensuring a substantial prison term.
Battle may be eligible for parole after serving 85% of his sentence under present Louisiana law.
Pictured is Victor Battle
